I have an issue that has bothered me ever since I was elected the first time in 1997. Its the issue of whether municipalities should be donating tax dollars to charitable organizations. Under full disclosure I must admit to voting for the spending of city funds for various organizations over the years. In my gut I think its the wrong use of city funds. Some may argue its not that much in terms of the budget ( in varies over the last two years between $6,000 to 7500.)
Those were direct donations however. The city has spent more with the local paper in the form of ad support for various causes. You have seen them, IVAR dog or cat sponsorship, high school football schedules, graduation pages, etc. This also seems wrong. I don’t think its constitutionally correct to give monies away to these causes. I think the private sector should be the supporter of these types of operations. How can we justify not having the funds for street repair or sidewalk replacement but at the same time give funds away? If you add what is spent in promotional dollars with the Press the annual number has been as high as $30,000.00 in a year!
In today’s paper Peru just wrestled with giving money to the Peru Municipal Band. The council was not unified in its support.
So I ask you, the taxpayer, citizen, constituent………what do you think?
I have changed the poll to reflect this question…please vote, or better yet vote and submit your thoughts…
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